Conscientiousness, the most deliberate of all traits. This lovely trait envelopes control and self-discipline. A person who scores high in this trait know where they want to go in life, and have the long range plans to get there. These are not your spontaneous half hearts. No, this type of person is deliberate. If they want spontaneous, they’ll plan for it.
The Good:
Being a conscientious person can have its rewards. People can depend on them for their dutifulness. Others want to emulate their sense of order. These are the ones who are prepared for anything . Experience has a funny way of culturing conscientiousness. As we grow, we learn what actions to take. And, we learn the consequences for not taking them. “Adulting” utilizes this trait.
The Bad:
Welcome to the world of a workaholic. They feel obligated to complete the task at hand. “Its for the greater good”. They will sacrifice time with family in order to make the deal. They struggle within their logical soul,;knowing they should relax and take a load off. However, there is so much to complete. And they will complete it.
The Truth:
As with Openness, most of us fall in the middle. We find a balance between work and home. If things don’t go as plan, we don’t throw a raging fit. We circumvent and overcome. However, some of us do feel obligated to our work or to others. We do not want to let others down. A word of advice… No one ever looks back on their life and says “I should have put more time in at work.” Well, maybe that one guy, but he loves working. We do make a lot of sacrifices. But it’s not fair to our spouses, children, families, or friends if we neglect them.
A person who scores high on this trait means well. We would do well to remember that if we want to express our concerns. Go to them ,not at them. Anyone who has chased a career has been guilty of burning the midnight oil. It happens. This trait is a good one to have, if balanced in the correct proportion.
That wraps up another letter. Come back next week as we explore extroversion.
Until the next blog, live life, be happy, and find life’s happiness.
Steve Curtis
Live Life, Be Happy 